"Virginia Is for Lovers." This state slogan is a great, cheap way to "make a point" whenever something fucked up happens in the state of Virginia. Such as, for example, "school security personnel" relentlessly blasting Norfolk-area public school students with pepper spray. For lovers? Yeah, lovers of pepper spray!

But seriously, folks in Virginia, we must ask: was it really necessary for the Norfolk school district's version of mall cops to pepper spray 17 students last year? And three more in the past two weeks? YES, according to the school district people, who once thought that this job would be great for fostering their love of education and children in general.

Earlier this week, pepper spray was used to break up a fight at Blair Middle School. Three students were affected by the spray. In the Lafayette-Winona incident, the spray was used during a food fight. A school spokeswoman said 37 students who complained of symptoms or were in the vicinity were seen by a school nurse after the incident